Coach Bennet Wiegert’s team started with speed and was already 5-0 ahead after five minutes. Only then did the Americans score the first goal – and so the course continued. Magdeburg provoked inaccurate passes and finishes, then countered preferably on the flanks. In the 20th minute, Lukas Mertens scored to make it 20-5.
Although the California Eagles also scored more goals after that and were able to set some accents through goaltender Federico Wermbter, it remained clear. At halftime, the scoreboard reported a 28-10 score.
After the break, the energy dropped a bit at times. However, the game of stop fouls and counter-attacks continued to work, especially since Matej Mandic in goal repeatedly provided the necessary support with his saves.
After the 40th minute played, the score was 35-14 and for SCM it was more a matter of increasing the goal difference and preparing new variants than of the two points being in any way.
“That was a game with a lot of speed and counter-attacks. It was to be expected that it would not be about the positional attack. We could have scored one or two more goals and left out a few technical mistakes. But I think we did it sensibly. Tomorrow we’ll continue, we want to win clearly again,” said Tim Hornke after the final whistle.
Bennet Wiegert saw it similarly: “We are very happy to have started this tournament like this. Especially after the travel stress we had, this was not a matter of course and we are happy and also about the size of the victory, because we know what it could mean for the rest of the game.”
Referees: Alaa Emam / Hossam Hedaia (EGY)
Attendance: 120
Score: 5-0 (5th), 11-2 (10th), 14-3 (15th), 20-5 (20th), 23-9 (25th), 28-10 (30th) – 32-13 (35th), 35-14 (40th), 40-15 (45th), 44-16 (50th), 45-18 (55th), 50-20 (60th)
SC Magdeburg: Hernandez, Mandic (18 saves/ 1 goal); Claar 2, Zechel 3, Kristjansson, Pettersson, Magnusson 3/3, Hornke 9, Jonsson 3, Weber 4, Lagergren 6, Mertens 11, Saugstrup 8, O’Sullivan, Barthold, Bergendahl
California Eagles: Wermbter (4 saves), Gmelich (1 save), Garcia (4 saves); Corning 3, Hamm, Mirallave, Vejar 5, Udo-Udoma 2, Akuro, Hane 1, Carou, Keim 4, Agner 1, Dhoioui, Johannessen 3, Pollich
